Daily financial-crime intelligence · Updated 15 Oct 2026, 23:02 UTC
Fraud & scams
According to multiple reports, Richard Heart (legal name Richard James Schueler), the founder of crypto projects HEX, PulseChain and PulseX, was reportedly arrested in Istanbul on October 14, 2026 in a joint operation by Turkish police and intelligence officers.
Money laundering
On 13 October 2026, the FCA and National Crime Agency conducted a joint operation resulting in the arrest of three individuals suspected of insider dealing and money laundering for an organised criminal group.
Securities & markets
Turkish authorities are examining how information about large-scale fund movements may have been leaked to certain parties. The investigation centers on approximately $8.1 billion in withdrawals, suggesting possible insider involvement or intelligence breaches that facilitated the transactions.
Fraud & scams
Juan Francisco Ramirez, 60, of Miami, was sentenced to 62 months in prison for leading a scheme that defrauded Nodus International Bank of over $23.6 million.
Money laundering
Turkish authorities are investigating alleged market manipulation, fraud, money laundering, and criminal organization conduct related to major investment fund managers Tera Portföy and Pusula Portföy.
Sanctions
The Insider reports that Michael Donald, a British payments systems specialist formerly on Visa UK's board, appears in documents related to VexPay—a Kyrgyz payment platform promoted by the Russia-linked A7 network as an alternative to SWIFT for circumventing sanctions.
Securities & markets
According to an economist's analysis, insiders allegedly withdrew approximately $4.6 billion from Turkish investment funds before regulatory authorities launched their crackdown.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Christopher Kenji Dinelli and Jacob David 'Kobe' Frankel for orchestrating an options trading and pre-IPO investment fraud scheme that raised $8.7 million from 35 investors for Beyond Alpha Ventures and Beyond Equity.
Money laundering
Turkish authorities jailed 20 additional individuals in connection with investment fund probes, bringing the total number detained to 85 individuals.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against David Reichman, former Chairman and CEO of Global Tech Industries Group, Inc., for allegedly orchestrating a multi-year scheme to defraud investors.
Fraud & scams
On September 30, 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Christopher Kenji Dinelli and Jacob David "Kobe" Frankel for orchestrating a fraud scheme that raised more than $8.
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged private fund adviser Meyer Global Management LLC (MGM) and its CEO, Owen E.H. Meyer, with defrauding investors and MGM-managed funds in connection with investments in SpaceX and other pre-IPO securities.
Fraud & scams
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed investment fraud charges against entities accused of operating fake artificial intelligence trading bots, with losses exceeding $15 million.
Securities & markets
A trader convicted of insider dealing was arrested in Dubai on September 30, 2026, after French authorities issued an arrest warrant to force him to serve a three-year jail sentence.
Fraud & scams
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Cryptoaiml Ltd., Cryptoaiml Capital Foundation, TSAI Pro Ltd., and TSAI Capital Foundation with fraud in connection with schemes that feigned SEC compliance while misappropriating more than $12.5 million and $2.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against Jacob Garfinkel, 27, of Lincolnwood, Illinois, and others for orchestrating an investment fraud scheme that resulted in approximately $2.8 million in losses for 22 investors.
Securities & markets
The SEC charged New York-based investment adviser Zoe Financial Inc. for failing to fully and fairly disclose material conflicts of interest to clients and prospective clients.
Money laundering
The Turkish Central Bank cancelled Papel Electronic Money and Payment Services' operating license (decision 12092/21691, published in Official Gazette September 23, 2026) under Law No. 6493 on Payment and Securities Settlement Systems.
Money laundering
The UK Financial Conduct Authority opened an investigation on 17 September 2026 into Euro Exchange Securities UK Ltd (EES) over suspected failures in anti-money laundering processes.
Fraud & scams
Ilit Raz, founder and former CEO of Joonko (a human-resources technology firm), pleaded guilty to securities fraud after FBI investigation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Raz forged bank statements and customer documents to raise $27 million from venture capital funds.
Money laundering
The Financial Conduct Authority has opened an investigation into Euro Exchange Securities UK Ltd for potential breaches of anti-money laundering regulations between 1 February 2020 and 4 June 2026.
Money laundering
The UK Financial Conduct Authority announced on 16 September (updated 18 September) that it has opened a formal investigation into Euro Exchange Securities UK Ltd (EES) for suspected breaches of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017, covering the period from 1 February 2020 to 4 June 2026.
Securities & markets
Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission directed the suspension of trading in Cloudbreak Pharma shares on September 10, 2026. According to the SFC, it has 'serious concerns that Cloudbreak's initial public offering may have been rigged to create an artificial impression of demand.'
Sanctions
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has revoked the licence of Ernest Chan Tsz Kin, a former responsible officer of Keptain Securities and Asset Management Limited, and banned him from re-entering the industry for 10 years, effective 24 August 2026 to 23 August 2036.
Securities & markets
The Financial Conduct Authority banned three former senior executives at Dolfin Financial (UK) Limited for operating a scheme that enabled clients to circumvent UK investor visa requirements between 2016 and 2019.
According to AUSTRAC, the agency's financial intelligence supported a Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) operation that allegedly dismantled a criminal network involved in the importation and distribution of illicit tobacco and vapes across Australia. Seven people were reportedly arrested.
India's Securities and Exchange Board (SEBI) banned a Mauritius-based unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co., Copthall Mauritius Investment Ltd., and local brokerage firm Mansi Share and Stock Broking Ltd.
Securities & markets
The Financial Conduct Authority imposed an indefinite prohibition order and financial penalty of £56,400 on Demetrios Hadjigeorgiou, former chief executive of SVS Securities Plc, for failing to protect customer interests.
Fraud & scams
The SEC charged Daniel Chu (CEO), Jerome Kollar (CFO), and Ameryn Seibold (Senior Director of Finance) of Texas-based Tricolor Holdings with fraud. From at least 2020 through bankruptcy in September 2025, Tricolor raised more than $1.
Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating whether billionaire Mark Walter and his businesses committed fraud by concealing financial connections while borrowing billions of dollars from insurers he controls, according to Wall Street Journal reporting.
Fraud & scams
The SEC charged New York resident Andrew Spaventa and three entities he owned and controlled with fraud in connection with unregistered securities offerings.
Sanctions
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) obtained a 6-year disqualification order from the Hong Kong Court against Tian Songlin, a former executive director of Hong Kong-listed National United Resources, for breach of fiduciary duties in connection with $75 million in fictitious transactions, according to SFC proceedings.
Bribery & corruption
A Chinese court sentenced Long Xiang, former chairman of the Standing Committee of the Nanjing Municipal People's Congress, to death with a two-year reprieve for receiving 261 million yuan (approximately $39 million) in bribes. Long was also convicted of embezzling 12 million yuan ($1.
Fraud & scams
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced the creation of a specialized Financial Reporting and Accounting Unit within its Division of Enforcement, dedicated to pursuing accounting and financial reporting fraud cases and misconduct in accounting and auditing.
Money laundering
UBS Financial Services Inc. was fined $125 million by FinCEN, the highest penalty ever imposed on a broker-dealer for breaches of the Bank Secrecy Act, and an additional $20 million by the SEC.
According to FinCEN, UBS Financial Services Inc. allegedly committed 'willful' Bank Secrecy Act violations including failure to monitor over $10 billion in foreign currency wires and inadequate due diligence on high-risk clients allegedly tied to Russia and Latin America.
Securities & markets
The Financial Conduct Authority published final transaction reporting rules on 3 August 2026 designed to replace and streamline existing transaction reporting requirements under the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation.
Securities & markets
The Financial Conduct Authority has censured Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited (EFG), a now-insolvent closed investment company, for approving financial promotions relating to minibonds that were unfair, unclear and misleading.
Securities & markets
According to Bellingcat's analysis, football fans wagered more than $14 billion on the FIFA World Cup through prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi.
Securities & markets
According to the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, the SFC reprimanded and fined Luk Fook Securities (HK) Limited HKD 2.1 million for inadequate cybersecurity controls that resulted in a 2022 ransomware attack and approximately three weeks to fully recover systems.
Fraud & scams
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission reprimanded and fined Victory Securities Company Limited HK$1.
Sanctions
The Insider reports that the EU Council included non-bank credit organization Platezhniy Tsentr — operator and settlement center of the Zolotaya Korona payment system — in its sanctions list as part of the 21st sanctions package.
Sanctions
The Insider reported and the EU confirmed sanctions on participants in the A7 cryptocurrency network created in late 2024 by Promsvyazbank and Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor.
China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Commission of Supervision announced an investigation into Fang Xinghai, a former vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), over suspected 'serious violations of discipline and law.'
Sanctions
The European Union sanctioned participants in the A7 cryptocurrency network, which Russia allegedly uses to circumvent international restrictions. Sanctioned individuals include Leonid Shumakov (A7A5 project director) and Mikhail Dorofeyev (deputy chairman of Promsvyazbank).
Securities & markets
The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed administrative fines totaling €187,500 on Brown Capital Management LLC for failure to comply with obligations under the German Securities Trading Act, specifically for failing to submit voting rights notifications within the prescribed period in August 2025.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed partially settled charges against Zan Shaikh, a Florida resident, and his company Mining Automatic (registered as Bright Vision Distribution LLC) alleging that they misappropriated and misused investor funds after raising approximately $22 million from more than 380 investors.
Securities & markets
Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed an administrative fine of €240,000 on TeamViewer SE on 16 July 2026 for violating the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR), according to the regulator.
Securities & markets
The SEC brought insider trading charges against Ali El Siblani, a former Desktop Metal Inc. executive, and three unnamed individuals, alleging that El Siblani tipped off three friends about Desktop Metal's plans to acquire ExOne Co., according to the SEC.
Money laundering
Wilfredo Aquino, 47, of Manhattan, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for facilitating a money laundering network's movement of millions of dollars through TD Bank accounts.
Attorney Eran Sham-Shavit, who served as legal advisor to the Securities Authority's investigations unit during Case 4000 investigations, testified in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial.
Fraud & scams
Law No. 2026-534 of June 25, 2026 relating to combating social and tax fraud (articles 34 and 35) strengthens the AMF's sanctioning powers.
Fraud & scams
Former Value Base investment bank analyst Shai Lipman entered a plea agreement and was convicted of insider trading and securities fraud.
On July 10, 2026, the US Treasury sanctioned Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based Iranian businessman accused of managing financial networks for Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Fraud & scams
Two lawyers allegedly operated a Ponzi scheme through a company called Avalon Capital Futures Investments, promising unusually high returns on cryptocurrency investments and securities trading.
Money laundering
The Federal Chamber revoked the criminal proceedings and issued dismissals against Daniel Pérez Montero and Mario Alberto Ribeiro Ricci, Uruguayan financial operators, who had been accused of facilitating money laundering through a scheme involving a simulated loan contract.
Securities & markets
The FCA has charged Richard Bloomfield, a former solicitor at Goodwin Procter, with five counts of insider dealing.
Money laundering
The FCA reported securing 17 criminal convictions across fraud, insider dealing, money laundering, and Data Protection Act offences in the year under review. Two individuals received combined 11 years imprisonment for insider dealing and money laundering, and 12 individuals were fined £1.
Securities & markets
Arya Bolurfrushan, founder and CEO of Abu Dhabi-based AI startup AppliedAI, pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme in which attorneys at major law firms tipped traders about mergers their employers were advising on.
Fraud & scams
Trader Alexis Kuperfis and his former associate Thierry Braha, active in Switzerland, were sentenced on 7 July 2026 by the Paris tribunal in proceedings pursuant to a plea agreement concluded with the National Financial Prosecutor.
Fraud & scams
The SEC announced the creation of the Retail Fraud Working Group designed to strengthen the Division of Enforcement's efforts to identify and combat fraud targeting everyday investors.
Money laundering
Experts allege that the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel may have utilized phantom remittances entering Banco del Bienestar to finance the ruling party and 2024 elections in Mexico.
Securities & markets
The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed fines totalling €620,000 on battery manufacturer VARTA AG on 1 July 2026 (formally announced 23 June 2026) for violating the Market Abuse Regulation and the German Securities Trading Act.
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced settled charges against Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated for failing to file numerous Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) from April 2020 through September 2024. Merrill agreed to pay a $7.5 million civil penalty.
Sanctions
The AMF Sanctions Commission imposed a fine of €800,000 on investment services provider Bourse Direct and €50,000 on its president Catherine Nini. The Commission found that 96,000 transactions had not been reported to the AMF between January 1, 2021 and November 30, 2023, representing €2.
Fraud & scams
On June 25, 2026, the DOJ and SEC announced parallel actions against Mingran Wang, founder of Greenroots Capital Management, for a multi-year spoofing scheme involving more than 3,000 instances of market manipulation across over 150 thinly traded ADRs, generating approximately $1.
Securities & markets
On 23 June 2026, France's Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) Enforcement Committee fined investment services provider Bourse Direct €800,000 and its director Catherine Nini €50,000 for failings in their professional obligations committed between 1 January 2021 and 30 November 2023.
Securities & markets
The SEC sued a retired professional soccer player and his company Vortex Strategies LLC for allegedly making $2.7 million through insider trades spanning nearly three years (Feb 2022 - Oct 2024), trading ahead of eight corporate announcements.
SEC filed settled actions for their roles in an alleged fraudulent securities offering orchestrated by Wells Real Estate Investment, LLC. Details of the fraud scheme and amounts involved not specified in search results.
SEC filed settled charges against Giovanni Pennetta, New York investment adviser, for defrauding investors who invested over $10.5 million in NextGenTech Investments LLC based on false claims of owning Anduril Industries shares.
Securities & markets
On June 11, 2026, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) approved the first admission of tokenized digital securities (referred to as bStocks) to its Official List.
On January 29, 2026, Paris's correctional court convicted 5 individuals (Jean-Charles Naouri, Franck-Philippe Georgin, Nicolas Boudot, Jacques Dumas, Nicolas Miguet) and 5 legal entities for private corruption, organized market manipulation, and insider trading violations.
Fraud & scams
Barceló Hotels raised 400 million shekels in bond issuance without disclosing in the prospectus that criminal proceedings are pending against owner and CEO Moti Green for tax offenses.
Money laundering
The High Court confirmed the appointment of special administrators for Euro Exchange Securities UK Limited (EES) following the FCA's enforcement action.
Money laundering
Leonardo Ayala, 26, a former retail banker at TD Bank N.A. in Florida, was sentenced to two years in prison for accepting bribes and facilitating money laundering.
Money laundering
BaFin ordered Frankfurt-based investment firm Instinet Germany GmbH on 4 May 2026 to rectify extensive vulnerabilities within its anti-money laundering and terrorist financing prevention frameworks.
SEC charged John Sterling Myers and his companies Sterling Capital, LLC and Sterling Capital Management, LLC with multi-year fraud (January 2022 through at least July 2025).
Sanctions
OFAC and the SEC are investigating Freedom Holding, a Nasdaq-listed bank headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, founded by Russian-born billionaire Timur Turlov. The joint investigation focuses on alleged sanctions breaches.
Western Asset Management Company agreed to pay $100 million civil penalty to settle SEC investigation into firm's failure to detect and prevent former co-Chief Investment Officer Ken Leech's alleged cherry-picking scheme.
SEC charged JianQing Li, former investment analyst at New York-based investment adviser, with insider trading in securities of at least twelve healthcare companies from February 2024 through October 2025.
Fraud & scams
SIMAD Holdings, a U.S. summer camp operator that raised 620 million shekels from Israeli institutional investors in December 2025, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after controlling brothers David and Michael Shabelsky withdrew approximately $34 million from company accounts for private entities…
U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York charged JianQing Li with two counts of securities fraud for allegedly trading on confidential information from his employer about at least 12 healthcare companies.
Securities & markets
FCA froze Euro Exchange Securities citing serious concerns about its operations, including systemic weaknesses in the firm's financial crime framework and safeguarding arrangements.
SIMAD Holdings, operating summer camps in US, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey after raising 620 million shekels from Israeli institutional investors in December 2025. Israel Securities Authority opened investigation into suspected securities law violations.
Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) fined Ark Capital Management (Dubai) Limited USD 504,000 for market abuse systems and change of control reporting failings.
Sanctions
On May 27, 2026, BaFin imposed an administrative fine of €80,000 on Resolution Capital Limited for breach of supervisory duties in connection with contravention of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG).
Fraud & scams
Andrew Left, 55, of Boca Raton, Florida, was convicted by a federal jury in Los Angeles of one count of participating in a securities fraud scheme and 12 counts of securities fraud.
On September 8, 2025, the Paris judicial court approved the CJIP signed on September 5, by which Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank (CACIB) undertook to pay EUR 88.2 million to avoid trial. Crédit Agricole became the first French bank to acknowledge this practice before the courts.
Andrew Left, 55, founder of Citron Research and frequent guest on CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg Television, was convicted by a federal jury of securities fraud for manipulating stock market activity by trading opposite to public positions he presented, reaping over $21 million in profits.
Money laundering
DOJ and CFTC filed parallel criminal and civil insider trading actions against Michele Spagnuolo, a Google software engineer based in Switzerland.
Money laundering
Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of Knesset approved temporary provision under Money Laundering Prohibition Order extending enforcement powers against illegal wildlife trafficking for first time in June 2026.
Fraud & scams
Alexey Sedushkin, general director of broker 'Investment Chamber,' and Yulia Khandoshko, head of European broker Mind Money, were arrested in Moscow. According to prosecutors, a criminal case was opened against them for fraud committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale.
Former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon was convicted of a securities law violation following a plea agreement in the Yonet Credit case.
The SEC charged Nathan Fuller in a crypto asset trading scheme in which he allegedly raised approximately $12.3 million from about 150 investors based on misrepresentations, including that he would use proprietary AI-based trading bots.
Fraud & scams
Cheungkin Lam (Kelvin Lam), former TD Bank employee, pleaded guilty to defrauding TD Bank customers and bribing employee at another financial institution to falsify bank records, facilitating more than $3.4 million of fraud.
Money laundering
CFTC and DOJ charged a Google software engineer with commodities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for allegedly using confidential internal Google search data to place bets on Polymarket, making more than $1.2 million. The case represents expanded enforcement into prediction markets.
On May 26-27, 2026, Federal Court of Australia imposed civil penalties of $50,000 against Castra Licensee Pty Ltd and $45,000 against Princeton Securities (NSW) Pty Ltd after they failed to pay infringement notices issued by AUSTRAC in September 2024 for alleged breaches of the AML/CTF Act.
Money laundering
Global Remit Currency Services, an international money transfer company, faces police investigation for suspected serious violations of Israel's anti-money laundering law.
Sanctions
The AMF Sanctions Commission condemned on 20 May 2026 Mr. Ytane Mamou to a fine of €30,000 and his cousin Mr. Elie Houri to €20,000 for insider trading.
The Securities Disputes Appeals Committee issued a final decision against 11 violators for manipulating financial data of 'Saudi German Health' company. Decision No. 4254/l.
Xie Jianfeng, General Manager of Finance at Sasseur-related company, was convicted and fined S$200,000 on May 19, 2026 for insider trading.
Fraud & scams
Trump administration moved to dismiss criminal fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in case where he was accused of bribing Indian officials for as much as $265m to secure contracts and lying to U.S. investors for solar energy project.
Tax and Economic Prosecution filed indictment against former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon for securities law reporting violations in Yunit Credit affair. Kahlon served as company chairman June 2021 to June 2022.
Indian billionaire Gautam Adani agreed to pay a $6 million penalty, while his nephew Sagar Adani agreed to pay $12 million, totaling $18 million to settle civil fraud allegations with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities & markets
Assaf Tal, electronics engineer who marketed himself as robotic trading expert, convicted of obtaining money through deception and managing investment portfolios without proper licensing.
Two individuals were sentenced to a combined 12 years in prison following a prosecution by the Financial Conduct Authority for their roles in a £1.5 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme.
Money laundering
US indictment filed against 30 defendants including lawyers, financiers from Brooklyn, Far Rockaway, Hollywood and Sunny Isles (Florida) in massive insider trading network involving tens of millions of dollars.
Sanctions
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has obtained 13-year disqualification orders in the Court of First Instance against three former top executives of China Candy Holdings Limited: Xu Jinpei (former chairman), Hong Yinzhi (former CEO), and Wang Zhihong (former chief financial controller).
Thirty defendants charged in decade-long insider trading scheme that netted tens of millions of dollars.
The SEC charged 21 individuals for their alleged involvement in a decade-long insider trading scheme that used information misappropriated from multiple global law firms and resulted in millions of dollars in illicit profits.
BaFin imposed three fines totaling €140,000 on DLT Securities GmbH for violations of German Money Laundering Act, including failure to establish adequate business and customer-related internal security measures.
Securities & markets
BaFin imposed a €1,000,000 administrative fine on flatexDEGIRO SE for failing to disclose inside information to the public as required by Market Abuse Regulation.
Two individuals were referred to the Public Prosecution in Saudi Arabia for operating an unlicensed securities advisory service through a Telegram channel named 'Abu Abdallah,' where one collected subscription fees and the other received commissions for providing unauthorized financial advice.
Securities & markets
In a decision of April 9, 2026, the Paris criminal court convicted a natural person who had obstructed a home search conducted by the AMF as part of an investigation into suspected market abuse.
Sanctions
Russia-linked cryptocurrency exchange Grinex suspended operations on April 16, 2026, after cyberattack resulting in loss of 1 billion rubles ($13.7 million).
Securities & markets
Paris Criminal Court delivered France's first criminal convictions in an insider trading network case, sentencing 3 individuals to up to 3 years prison and €30 million fines for illegally trading on confidential Air Liquide takeover information in 2015; 4 others received plea bargain sentences in late 2025/early 2026.
Securities & markets
The Paris Criminal Court on April 13, 2026 convicted three individuals for insider trading and complicity in France's first criminal case involving organized insider trading networks. Sentences reached up to three years imprisonment and €30 million in fines.
Securities & markets
On April 13, 2026, Paris Criminal Court convicted three individuals for insider trading related to Air Liquide's 2015 takeover bid for American company Airgas.
Fraud & scams
Vincent J. Camarda, CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment adviser fraud involving at least $138 million from at least 431 investors, many elderly.
Securities & markets
Turkish prosecutors announced that authorities have taken into custody Ramazan Başak, a former deputy chair of Turkey's Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), as part of a probe into alleged market manipulation and dissemination of misleading information.
The SEC highlighted additional recent fraud cases, including an ATM-related fraudulent scheme involving $770 million from approximately 2,700 investors and a Ponzi scheme in which approximately 300 investors were defrauded of at least $140 million.
Vincent J. Camarda, Long Island investment adviser and CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment adviser fraud for defrauding 430+ investors (many elderly) of $138-160 million.
DOJ and SEC announced parallel enforcement actions against Vincent J. Camarda, CEO of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors LLC, for allegedly defrauding at least 430 investors—many elderly and financially unsophisticated—of at least $138 million.
Federal grand juries indicted ten executives and employees of four cryptocurrency financial services firms (Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian) for orchestrating fraud schemes to artificially inflate trading volume and price of cryptocurrencies through 'wash trading.'
Securities & markets
German financial regulator BaFin issued a €1,650,000 penalty to Barclays PLC for failing to submit voting rights notifications within required timeframes under the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG).
Securities & markets
FCA imposed £338,000 penalty on Dinosaur Merchant Bank Limited for failing to detect/report suspicious orders and transactions in contract for difference (CFD) business. Breached Article 16(2) UK MAR, Principle 3, SYSC 6.1.1R during June 2024-May 2025.
Securities & markets
The AMF continued to investigate possible market manipulation by Casino group in 2018 and 2019, according to La Lettre.
Money laundering
BaFin imposed three administrative fines totaling €140,000 on Frankfurt-based DLT Securities GmbH for violations of the Anti-Money Laundering Act from at least May 1, 2022 to February 18, 2025.
Securities & markets
The Israel Securities Authority opened an investigation into claims by Erez Nachum, who was a partner and number 2 to Zehavit Cohen at Apex Israel and a director on behalf of Max Stock, regarding alleged violations of corporate governance rules at Max Stock.
MAS issued prohibition orders against Wang Qiming (16 years) and Liu Kai (7 years), former relationship managers convicted of charges connected to major August 2023 money laundering case involving S$3 billion.
Securities & markets
SEC sued Doximity Inc.'s former chief revenue officer Paul W. Jorgensen for insider trading, alleging he used confidential company information about declining sales and planned layoffs to make stock trades that netted him more than $2.5 million in profits.
Bribery & corruption
In March 2026, Hong Kong's SFC and ICAC conducted a joint operation codenamed 'Fuse' on March 10-11 targeting insider dealing involving corruption. The operation searched 14 locations across Hong Kong, including two brokerages and a hedge fund, resulting in the arrest of eight people.
Sanctions
The Insider analyzed Russian foreign trade data from 2024-2025 and identified over 6,000 foreign exporting firms supplying Russia's defense sector despite sanctions.
The Insider investigation analyzed Russian companies' foreign trade data for 2024-2025 and identified over 6,000 foreign firms (including ~4,000 Chinese and Hong Kong, ~300 Turkish, 120 UAE, and 60 Indian companies) directly or indirectly supplying the Russian military-industrial complex while ignoring international sanctions.
Sanctions
Investigation analyzing 2024-2025 foreign trade data identified over 6,000 companies trading with sanctioned Russian enterprises and defense contractors, including approximately 4,000 Chinese firms (Henan New Silk Road International delivered 100+ turbojet engines worth $3M to sanctioned Chipdevice…
FinCEN imposed $80 million civil money penalty against Canaccord Genuity LLC for willful BSA violations during March 2018-June 2024. Largest penalty ever imposed against a broker-dealer for BSA violations. Combined with SEC ($20M) and FINRA ($20M) penalties totaling $120M.
The SEC reached a settlement with Tron and founder Justin Sun, with Rainberry Inc. paying a $10 million fine for violations of federal securities laws through the sale and airdropping of Tron (TRX) and BitTorrent (BTT) tokens.
Securities & markets
The AMF suspended trading in shares of British dietary supplements company Rapid Nutrition, listed in Paris and London, due to 'possible market manipulation'. The suspension lasted from February 19, 2026 until March 13, 2026.
Sanctions
According to an investigation by Hunterbrook published by The Insider, Ubiquiti networking equipment has become foundational communications infrastructure for Russian forces in Ukraine, despite active U.S. and EU sanctions.
Fraud & scams
Former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon faces indictment for securities law violations. Kahlon served as Yonet Credit board chairman June 2021 to June 2022. Accused of obstructing investor disclosure regarding embezzlement and financial irregularities (5 million shekels) discovered at Nazareth branch.
Securities & markets
The FCA fined Richard Howson £237,700 for being knowingly concerned in Carillion's breaches of Market Abuse Regulation and Listing Rules.
Securities & markets
The Financial Markets Tribunal upheld the Dubai Financial Services Authority's decision to impose a $25,000 fine on Al Ramz Capital LLC for failing to immediately report suspicious transactions executed on Nasdaq Dubai in April 2022.
Securities & markets
FCA fined Dipesh Kerai £52,731 and Bhavesh Hirani £56,000 for insider dealing in shares of Bidstack Group Plc. Hirani had access to inside information about major deal at Bidstack, which he passed to Kerai. Hirani then opened trading account in Kerai's name and bought 1.3 million Bidstack shares.
Securities & markets
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) imposed a $504,000 fine on Ark Capital Management (Dubai) Limited for ineffective market abuse monitoring systems and controls.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority fined Ark Capital Management (Dubai) Limited USD 504,000 (AED 1,850,940) for inadequate market-abuse systems and for failing to notify the regulator about a proposed change in control.
Fraud & scams
Gokcha Goben, founder and CEO of fintech startup Caladar and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, was indicted in the U.S. on securities fraud, wire fraud and identity theft charges.
Money laundering
On January 29, 2026, the Paris Tribunal Correctionnel convicted former Casino Group CEO Jean-Charles Naouri to four years in prison (one year firm under electronic monitoring) for active corruption and dissemination of false or misleading information.
On January 29, 2026, Paris Criminal Court sentenced 5 individuals and 5 legal entities for private corruption, organized market manipulation, and insider trading from 2018. Former CEO Jean-Charles Naouri received 4 years imprisonment (1 year under electronic monitoring) and €1 million fine.
The SEC filed settled charges against Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) and its former executives for materially inflating the performance of a key business segment, Nutrition.
Sanctions
The AMF Sanctions Committee condemned Makor Securities Paris to a fine of €700,000 and its director Yankel Hassan to €150,000 for serious failings in their market abuse detection system.
Securities & markets
The FCA imposed fines on two former finance directors of Carillion plc for their involvement in issuing misleading statements.
Securities & markets
The FCA issued £16,087,723 in fines during 2026 (as of March 27, 2026), representing a significant decrease from £124m in 2025.
Securities & markets
The drone company Aerodrome reported that ISA investigators conducted a search at the company's offices as part of an investigation into suspected violations of securities law.
On December 16, 2025, the SEC filed settled charges against an individual trader for allegedly engaging in a two-year spoofing scheme that generated approximately $373,885 in ill-gotten gains.
Securities & markets
On 24 August 2026, BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority) imposed an administrative fine totalling €250,000 on pferdewetten.de AG.
Sanctions
On July 21, 2026, the AMF Sanctions Commission imposed fines totalling €210,000 on Financière Fonds Privés (€100,000) and its executives Pierre-Michel Deléglise (€70,000) and Thierry de Chambure (€40,000).
Securities & markets
The Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong issued a circular on June 2, 2026, calling upon licensed firms to strengthen their cybersecurity measures against emerging threats enabled by frontier artificial intelligence models.
Money laundering
Israel Securities Authority and police investigators raided Automax offices and homes of senior executives investigating suspected securities law violations in September 2025.
Money laundering
UAE Securities and Commodities Authority imposed a 5 million dirham fine on a licensed entity and referred it to Public Prosecution for violating anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing laws, and rules on unlicensed organizations.
MAS imposed S$27.45M in composition penalties on 9 financial institutions (Credit Suisse, UBS, Citibank, Julius Baer, UOB, LGT Bank, UOB Kay Hian, Blue Ocean Invest, Trident Trust) for AML/CFT breaches related to August 2023 S$3B money laundering case (illicit assets from overseas scams/online…
Money laundering
On June 19, 2025, Redinel Korfuzi (6 years) and Oerta Korfuzi (5 years) were found guilty of insider dealing and money laundering following an 18-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Securities & markets
The FCA issued a Final Notice on 30 September 2026 imposing a financial penalty of £1,529,374 on Robin Crispin William Odey, founder and majority owner of Odey Asset Management LLP, and a prohibition order preventing him from performing any regulated function.
Fraud & scams
Liu Zhou, 41, a Canadian citizen and Chinese national and founder of MyTrade, a cryptocurrency financial services firm, was sentenced by U.S.
Money laundering
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission reprimanded and fined Zheshang International Financial Holdings Co., Limited HK$2.66 million for failures in complying with anti-money laundering requirements between June 2016 and October 2018.
Securities & markets
The FCA banned Demetrios Hadjigeorgiou, former director and chief executive officer of discretionary fund manager SVS Securities Plc (serving as CEO from May 2018 to August 2019), from working in senior management positions in financial services and fined him £56,400.
Securities & markets
On March 30, 2026, the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced three indictments charging ten foreign nationals across four cryptocurrency firms GOTBIT, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian, as part of Operation Token Mirrors.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a 4-year prohibition order against Low Jia Mei, Camie, a former relationship manager at Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore) Limited.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore published its Q3 2026 enforcement summary on October 1, 2026.
Theodore Woo, 49, former chief financial officer of a Miami Beach hedge fund, pleaded guilty to securities fraud.
Money laundering
The Securities and Futures Commission reprimanded Zheng Da International Financial Holding Limited and fined it HK$7 million for failures in anti-money laundering controls between 2021-2023. Responsible officer Zhong Hao was suspended for seven months.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore issued a 6-year prohibition order against Lai Mei Lin, a former representative and unit manager of Manulife Financial Advisers, for alleged forgery offenses and unauthorized access to computer material.
Fraud & scams
According to OCCRP, a U.S. federal grand jury indicted Taj Tarsha, 34, of Miami, on securities and wire fraud charges for allegedly diverting more than $10 million from investors in his crypto startup Few and Far, which claimed to be developing a decentralized NFT marketplace.
Sanctions
On 21 July 2026, the AMF's Sanctions Commission fined Financière Fonds Privés €100,000, and its two managers Pierre-Michel Deléglise and Thierry de Chambure €70,000 and €40,000 respectively.
The UK Financial Conduct Authority censured Equity for Growth (Securities) Limited on July 30, 2026, for approving misleading financial promotions on behalf of minibond issuers that failed to disclose high commission fees charged by introducers.
Hong Kong's Market Misconduct Tribunal has determined that Sir Dickson Poon, founder of Dickson Concepts, and his investment vehicle Equity Advantage Limited engaged in insider dealing. According to the tribunal's findings, Poon allegedly learned of a US$147.
The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Jay Lucas, 71, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire — founder and managing partner of Manhattan-based private equity fund Lucas Brand Equity LLC — pleaded guilty to securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Fraud & scams
According to MAS, Oon Yun Cong was convicted and sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment and fined $12,105.70 for making false statements to induce others to trade securities. The conviction followed a joint investigation by MAS and the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force.
Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) fined Volkswagen AG €1.2 million on October 1, 2026, for failing to promptly and properly disclose material information that could impact the market.
Federal prosecutors filed a superseding indictment adding allegations that Joshua Wander diverted the majority of a $20 million loan into his personal brokerage account and directed employees to fabricate bank statements to conceal the diversion.
According to FINRA, Revere Securities LLC was fined $800,000 for alleged AML and supervisory violations related to small-cap IPOs for foreign-based issuers.
Securities & markets
According to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), the Court of First Instance ruled on September 11, 2026 that worldwide freezing orders against Lo Kai Bong, chairman and controlling shareholder of LET Group Holdings and Summit Ascent Holdings, should continue.
Singapore's Monetary Authority issued Prohibition Orders against Goh Hui Bin (5-year ban) and Vijendren S/O Tanapal (4-year ban), both former DBS Bank representatives convicted of forgery offences.
The German Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) issued a warning on 30 September 2026 about offers from Fintresor Vermögensverwaltung GmbH (operating via fintresor.online).
The SEC charged Gavin Wolfe and Jason Satsky, former Wall Street investment bankers, with insider trading in South Jersey Industries, Inc. (SJI).
Securities & markets
Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed administrative fines totalling €620,000 on battery manufacturer VARTA AG for contraventions of obligations under the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG).
The Paris Criminal Court (32nd chamber) convicted on April 13, 2026 three persons for insider trading or complicity in connection with the acquisition of Airgas by Air Liquide in November 2015.
Securities & markets
On June 25, 2026, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission obtained a worldwide freezing order against Lo Kai Bong and Major Success Group Limited in enforcement proceedings.
ESMA fined trade repository REGIS-TR S.A. a total of €1,374,000 for seven infringements of obligations under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR) and the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR).
Securities & markets
The Eastern Magistrates' Court convicted well-known movie producer Mr Wong Pak Ming of insider dealing in the shares of Pegasus Entertainment Holdings Limited after a 16-day criminal trial.
MAS issued prohibition orders against two former relationship managers convicted in connection with Singapore's August 2023 $3 billion money laundering case.
Sanctions
The Paris Tribunal Correctionnel sanctioned a market manipulation case reported to the Financial Prosecutor by the AMF, with the court also approving four plea bargains.
BaFin imposed administrative fines totalling €620,000 on VARTA AG for contravening obligations under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the German Securities Trading Act. The penalty relates to violations of market abuse rules.
BaFin ordered Instinet Germany GmbH to rectify extensive deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and terrorist financing prevention measures.
Miles Guo was sentenced to 30 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering, among other charges, for leading an expansive and complex scheme to solicit more than $1 billion of investments.
The SEC filed proposed partial judgments against David Kushner of Boca Raton, Florida, and his company La Mancha Funding Corp. for allegedly defrauding nearly two dozen investors out of approximately $2.1 million in a series of private securities offerings.
FCA published Final Notice finding firm breached requirements of UK Market Abuse Regulation as well as FCA Principle 3 and certain FCA systems and controls requirements.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore issued a 3-year prohibition order against Li Jinbo, former Chief Investment Officer of EC World Asset Management Pte. Ltd., following a 24-month conditional warning from the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore issued a 10-year prohibition order under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2022 against Mr Andrew Tiew Siew Ing, a former representative of AXA Insurance Pte Ltd.
Securities & markets
Movie producer Wong Pak Ming was convicted of insider dealing in Pegasus Entertainment Holdings Limited shares and sentenced to five months' jail and fined HK$99,720 on June 9, 2026.
Sanctions
According to OCCRP, Belgium's Council of State ruled that the Administrator General of the Treasury lacked legal authority to reject a request by Russia's BCS Bank to unfreeze its assets held at Euroclear.
Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) imposed administrative fines totalling €620,000 on VARTA AG on 23 June 2026 for contraventions of the Market Abuse Regulation and German Securities Trading Act.
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission prohibited Ms Mok Cheuk Ling, a former licensed representative of Sun Hung Kai Investment Services Limited, from re-entering the industry for 42 months.
Sanctions
The AMF Enforcement Committee on 23 June 2026 imposed fines of €800,000 on Bourse Direct and €50,000 on its director, Ms Catherine Nini, for breaches during the period 1 January 2021 to 30 November 2023.
Securities & markets
The Securities and Futures Commission mandated that online brokers and virtual asset trading platforms adopt phishing-resistant authentication methods within 12 months, banning one-time passwords delivered via SMS, email, or app-based logins.
Money laundering
IMF expressed serious concerns about Pakistan's anti-money laundering framework: extremely low suspicious transaction reports from real estate sector, growing trade-based money laundering cases, and insufficient beneficial ownership transparency.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore imposed a civil penalty of S$120,000 on Dr Chua Han Boon Kenneth for insider trading in shares of Singapore Medical Group Limited.
The SEC charged Jay Lucas and Lucas Brand Equity LLC with fraudulently inducing hundreds of investors to invest more than $50 million in three private equity funds while diverting millions to personal expenses including rent, alimony, wedding costs, and ownership of a newspaper, with parallel criminal charges filed in the Southern District of New York.
Justin Chen was sentenced to 27 months in prison for insider trading conspiracy. According to prosecutors, Chen misused material non-public information to trade in the securities of 13 publicly traded companies, making at least $2.38 million in profits. Chen was ordered to forfeit $1,828,442.
Money laundering
According to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Zheshang International Financial Holdings Co., Limited was reprimanded and fined HK$2.66 million for failing to comply with anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism requirements between June 2016 and October 2018.